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Text Box: I got a paycheck this week! Though that may not sound totally unusual, (at least I hope they keep coming for a while), mine came from a totally new system that was just put into production on Monday. Our company went live with a new corporate-wide system called SAP. Those of you who are familiar with SAP know that the preparation was not an easy task. We did not use the system "out of the box", but customized it to our use. We had a devoted team of employees and other resources to make it happen – and the team did it in 20 months. Corporate Management totally backed the whole project and was the driving force behind it. Something that made it different from many other projects, was the fact that SAP replaced or linked with many older applications inside our seven operating companies and many sites over four states. All of those old applications had to be shut down, or linked to SAP at the same time. This project touched everyone in the corporation in some way or another – even if it was only through entering their personal time sheet into the new system. We had 6,200 employees log onto the system on the first day. I found myself doing things that were not the "ordinary" programming tasks and working with many people that I had never met before, and in some instances, still may not have. It has been exciting. It amazes me how people in so many diverse locations can work together as a team and accomplish so much in a relatively short amount of time. It was a real virtual teaming effort and the way of the future. Communicating becomes even more important that it has ever been in the past. This project was a case where IT objectives had to be aligned with the company’s and each person had to know how their own work was helping to attain those objectives. In a project of this size, it’s increasingly difficult to keep everyone focused on the same page. Effective networking was the key to making it happen. If it sounds like I am bragging about this implementation, I guess I am. I am proud of our dedicated team of individuals who made it happen, and am proud of my tiny part in the big picture. SAP has replaced so many unconnected applications with one very integrated system that should prove to make us much more efficient. The Akron Chapter of AITP presented some programs in the past on SAP. They were very informative and gave an overall picture of what SAP is capable of doing. Our programs each month offer opportunities to pick up on what is happening in the computer world. Our program topic this month, "Oracle’s Vision and Future of Enterprise IT Architecture" will be presented by Mark Rebne, of Oracle Corporation. He will be looking at the future of eBusiness, by looking back to the past. The meeting is on June 24th. Please join us. I hope to see you there. The Akron Chapter does not meet in July or August. Enjoy your summer and don’t forget to come back in the fall. Carol Hosier 2003 Akron AITP Chapter President                     

 

Text Box: FROM THE EDITOR This Newsletter is the official publication of the AITP Akron Chapter. It is published nine times a year at Akron, Ohio as a benefit of membership, to announce the onthly General Meeting, and to provide information of local interest to our members. It is circulated free-of-charge to our AITP members.   We welcome contributions by members and non-members. Unless otherwise requested, articles are subject to editing. Send your documents to Craig Purnell, 549 Gibbs Rd, Akron, Oh 44312 or email: aitp_newsletter@purnells.cc. Our address is Akron Chapter - AITP, P.O. Box 2806, Akron, Ohio 44309. The submission deadline for articles to be published is the Friday after the first Tuesday of each month. Craig Purnell, Editor     The submission deadline for articles to be published is the Friday after the first Tuesday of each month. Craig Purnell, Editor       The submission deadline for articles to be published is the Friday after the first Tuesday of each month. Craig Purnell, Editor